UBA-BURKINA

What UBA-BURKINA does

UBA Burkina Faso is a commercial banking subsidiary of United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), a Nigerian-listed pan-African banking group, headquartered at 1340 Avenue Dimdolobsom, Ouagadougou. The bank is licensed by BCEAO and regulated by the Central Bank of Burkina Faso, operating 31 disclosed local employees through a branch and ATM network across Burkina Faso (sources cite multiple locations nationwide).

The product set spans retail and corporate banking: savings and current accounts, personal loans (notably the DJONA DJONA product with 3-day approval for salaried employees and retirees), debit and prepaid cards, mobile and internet banking, an LEO chatbot, Instant Bills Pay, and notification services. Money transfer is delivered through Western Union, MoneyGram, AfriCash, and the proprietary U-Connect service. Corporate offerings include international trade finance, working capital, and asset financing up to $150,000 under a group-level $6 billion AfCFTA SME financing agreement targeting agri-food processing, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and transport/logistics sectors.

The revenue model is a mix of net interest income from deposits and lending (subscription-style recurring) and transaction fees from cards, money transfers, and digital banking services. Distribution is hybrid: physical branches (Mon-Fri 7H30-16H30), ATMs, mobile app (VeriCash/UBA Mobile Banking), internet banking, and an online account-opening platform. The entity is wholly dependent on UBA Group for technology, capital, and cross-border correspondent banking reach, with strategic leadership coordinated at group level by Chairman Tony O. Elumelu (retiring August 2026), incoming Chairman Emmanuel Nnorom, and Group MD/CEO Oliver Alawuba.

Name

UBA-BURKINA

Legal name

United Bank for Africa Plc (Burkina Faso)

Website

https://ubaburkinafaso.com

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UBA Burkina Faso is a Ouagadougou-based commercial bank, subsidiary of Nigeria's UBA Group, licensed by BCEAO and offering retail, corporate, and SME banking (including AfCFTA-backed SME lending) through branches, ATMs, and digital channels across Burkina Faso.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSABABAF

SME Trade Finance & Working Capital (LCs, Guarantees, Receivables)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Commercial Banking (SME & Middle Market)

SECONDARYFSABAIAD

Account & Balance Services (Operating accounts, statements, eBAM)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Transaction Banking (Cash Management & Treasury Services)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Corporate banking
• Digital banking
• Money transfer services
• Trade finance

Headquarters

HQ city

Ouagadougou

HQ country

Burkina Faso

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Banking Services: Deposit-taking from individuals and SMEs, including savings accounts, current accounts, and time deposits. Interest income generated from lending activities including personal loans (DJONA DJONA), mortgages, and credit facilities.
2. Corporate and Trade Finance: Banking services for corporate clients including international trade finance, working capital financing, and asset financing loans up to $150,000 for SMEs.
3. Card Services: Debit cards, prepaid cards, and card transaction processing fees.
4. Money Transfer Services: Western Union, MoneyGram, AfriCash, and U-Connect money transfer services generating transaction fees.
5. Digital Banking Services: Mobile banking, internet banking, and digital payment services generating fee income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UBA Burkina Faso is a commercial bank that provides retail and corporate banking services in Burkina Faso. Core offerings include savings and current accounts, personal loans (DJONA DJONA with 3-day approval), debit and prepaid cards, mobile/internet banking, and money transfer services via Western Union, MoneyGram, AfriCash, and U-Connect. The bank also serves corporate clients with e-products, international trade finance, and SME working capital and asset financing up to $150,000 under the $6 billion AfCFTA partnership.

Product overview

UBA Burkina Faso operates as a pan-African financial services institution offering a comprehensive banking platform for retail (Particuliers) and corporate (Entreprise) customers. The core banking infrastructure includes personal banking services (savings accounts, current accounts, loans), digital banking channels (mobile banking, internet banking, notification services), card products (debit and prepaid), and money transfer services (Western Union, MoneyGram, AfriCash, U-Connect). Enterprise offerings include e-products for businesses and international trade services. Additional services include LEO chatbot, ATM/branch locator, and instant bill payment. The Next Gen package specifically targets youth banking needs, while DJONA DJONA offers quick approval personal loans. The institution is regulated by the Central Bank of West Africa (BCEAO) and maintains presence across 20+ African countries plus international operations in UK, USA, France, and UAE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• U-Connect: Money transfer service offering fast and secure transfers.
• DJONA DJONA
• Next Gen
• Leo

Products and services

• Personal Banking Services (Services Bancaires aux Particuliers) Comprehensive retail banking package for individual customers in Burkina Faso, including savings accounts, current accounts, personal loans, debit and prepaid cards, and money transfer services.
• Digital Banking (Banque Digitale) Online and mobile banking platform enabling customers in Burkina Faso to manage accounts, pay bills, and transfer funds via digital channels.
• Cards (Cartes) Debit and prepaid card offerings for customer transactions, ATM withdrawals, and payments.
• Savings Accounts (Comptes d'Épargne) Savings account products for individuals, including the Next Gen package tailored for young customers.
• Current Accounts (Comptes Courants) Current account facilities for daily banking operations by individuals.
• Loans and Payments (Prêts et Paiements) including DJONA DJONA

Quantifiable outcome

• SME financing up to $150,000 in local currency for working capital and asset acquisition
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• African Union Peace FundflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2025UBA Group made a historic donation of $500,000 to the African Union Peace Fund, demonstrating commitment to peace, security, and sustainable development across Africa as part of AU Agenda 2063.
• African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA/ZLECAf)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024UBA signed a $6 billion partnership agreement with AfCFTA to support SME development across Africa. The partnership provides financing solutions including working capital loans and asset financing up to $150,000 for eligible SME account holders and corporate banking clients. Target sectors include agri-food processing, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and transport/logistics.
• Western UnioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWestern Union money transfer services available at UBA Burkina Faso branches for international and domestic money transfers.
• MoneyGramcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMoneyGram money transfer services available at UBA branches for international remittances.
• AfriCashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAfriCash money transfer service offered through UBA branches for regional money transfers.
• UBA Group (Pan-African Network)coreOthersUBA Burkina Faso is a subsidiary of UBA Group operating across 20+ African countries plus presence in UK (London), USA (New York), France, and UAE (Dubai). The group provides correspondent banking services and cross-border banking connectivity through its international network.
• Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTony Elumelu Foundation, founded by UBA Group Chairman Tony Elumelu, has invested $100 million to support 20,000 entrepreneurs across 54 African countries, creating 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. TEF partnered with UNDP, EU, UNICEF for Green Entrepreneurship Programme supporting climate-focused youth entrepreneurs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Zenith Bank Plc: Zenith Bank is a large Nigerian commercial bank with selective African presence. It is comparable to UBA Group as a fellow publicly listed Nigerian banking group competing for corporate and SME banking in West Africa, though its pan-African footprint is narrower than UBA's.
• Standard Chartered Bank Burkina (and West Africa): Standard Chartered operates in several African markets including Burkina Faso, focused on corporate, trade, and transaction banking. It is a broad-incumbent peer for UBA Burkina Faso on the corporate and trade finance side of the business.
• Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank): GTBank is a major Nigerian commercial bank with West African subsidiaries offering retail, SME, and corporate banking. It is a broad incumbent comparable to UBA on Nigerian-bank-led pan-African expansion and digital banking leadership.

Direct peers

• Access Bank Plc: Access Bank is a Nigerian-headquartered pan-African commercial bank with subsidiaries across Africa offering retail, SME, and corporate banking. As a fellow Nigerian group expanding across Africa, it is a highly comparable peer on growth strategy, AfCFTA-era SME focus, and digital banking investments.
• Ecobank Burkina Faso: Ecobank Burkina Faso is a directly competing pan-African commercial bank in the WAEMU zone offering retail, SME, and corporate banking with a comparable multi-country network reach. It is the most analogous competitor to UBA Burkina Faso on both product scope and parent-group distribution model.
• Société Générale Burkina Faso: Société Générale Burkina Faso is a European-owned universal bank offering retail, corporate, and trade finance in Burkina Faso. It competes directly for corporate/SME clients and is a natural comparable on trade finance and correspondent banking activity.
• Bank of Africa (BOA) Burkina Faso: BOA Burkina Faso is part of the pan-African Bank of Africa network (BMCE/BOA Group) and competes directly on retail accounts, SME credit, and trade finance in the same local market. Strong comparable on branch-based banking with multinational backing.
• Coris Bank Burkina Faso: Coris Bank is a major local commercial bank in Burkina Faso providing retail banking, SME financing, and digital banking. It is a top direct competitor for retail deposits and SME lending within the same domestic market as UBA Burkina Faso.

Regional players

• Absa Bank (formerly Barclays Africa): Absa has a pan-African presence (including some West African markets) offering retail and corporate banking. Comparable as a regional player with a multinational parent competing for cross-border African trade and corporate banking flows relevant to UBA Burkina Faso.

Others

• Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF): TEF is the entrepreneurship program founded by UBA Group's chairman and is a key ecosystem partner. It is adjacent rather than competitive, but functions as a deal-flow and brand pipeline for SME banking customers that UBA Burkina Faso can convert into loan and deposit relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UBABurkina
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UBAGroupVideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/UBABurkina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uba-burkina
• Instagraminstagram.com/ubaburkina

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UBA-BURKINA